Edited by
Scott Fee

1989 Speleo Digest
Summary

1989 Speleo Digest book review by Larry
Reece

The 1989 Speleo
Digest is a soft cover book of 462 pages published by the National Speleological Society,
Cave Avenue, Huntsville, Alabama 35810-4431. This book is a compilation of articles from
various Grotto newsletters and other cave-related publications. The first Speleo Digest
was published in 1956 and this one continues the tradition. This issue's editor is Scott
Fee formally of the Central Indiana Grotto and now with the Birmingham Grotto. The quality
of the typesetting, graphics and printing are excellent thanks to the work of Tom Rea,
also of the CIG.

In the U.S. Caves Description section, 35 states
and Puerto Rico are represented. This is an extremely large number of states considering
the number of caves in some of these locations. As you might expect, the states with the
most caves or the most active population of cavers have the largest number of cave
descriptions.

The International Cave Description section
represents 16 countries with Mexico having the largest amount of space. The Equipment and
Techniques section has some information on vertical equipment, explosives, clothing
repairs, cave diving and other subjects. In the Cave Science area you will find data about
bats, radon, geology, dye tracing and even more. Under Spelean History, Floyd Collins is
written about again, there is an article on the wartime use of caves, the bats of
Nickajack and more.

Finally, the section on Speleo Fiction and Humor
(my favorite area) seems a little small. (It has been said that the editor has no sense of
humor.) Although small, this section is required reading as it contains some of the best
humor published in 1989. When you read this area remember the people who wrote these
articles were just having fun and not trying to present their expert (?) views. Or were
they?

This edition of the Speleo Digest represents the
finest from 70 different publications. It was produced in record time while maintaining a
high standard of quality. The editor and his staff expended a lot of time and energy in
the preparation of this issue and they are to be congratulated for the excellent work they
have done. This Speleo Digest sets the target for those that follow to attempt to attain
although I doubt that they will!